At the weekend Masses for Sunday 3rd October, 2004, the following document was distributed and explained from the pulpit to the congregations:
Sacred Heart Parish Liturgy Team
Reception of Holy Communion
The common term for the reception of the Eucharist is Holy Communion, which means that those who come forward to receive the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist are in communion which God and each other. Those who are eligible to receive Holy Communion are therefore in union with the Church.
The Church has always taught that in receiving the Host, (Christ present under the appearance of bread) one receives the fullness of Christ, this is, one receives the totality of Jesus Christ, both body and blood, not the body only.
The sign of unity is expressed the reception of Holy Communion. Likewise the Church states that, "The chalice should not be administered to lay members of Christ's faithful ...... where a notable part of the people continues to prefer not to approach the chalice for various reasons, so that the sign of unity would in some sense be negated". (Redemptionis Sacramentum # 102)
We are aware that the majority do not receive Holy Communion from the Chalice.
The health implications of receiving Holy Communion from the Chalice have been of concern and still are of concern.
It is worth noting that a number of germs (human pathogens) can be present in saliva or on the lips without our knowledge. It is also documented that such germs can be transmitted to others by means of contaminated objects, in this instance via the chalice. As well as via saliva, a number of droplet infections can occur, as a means of spreading disease. The risk of contamination is not confined to the rim of the chalice, as small amounts of saliva may enter the interior of the vessel and mix with the Precious Blood.
Some may say or think that God would not let germs enter the chalice. This argument does not stand up to theological argument, for the same argument could be used in questioning why God allows decease, accidents, and other tragedies to occur, not because He wants us to incur such events. God indeed has created us free and does not usually directly intervene.
A recent out break of Creutzfeld Jakob disease in Melbourne shows that the hospital sterilization of instruments (up to at least twelve times) may not kill the germs. In our homes we only clean and do not sterilize our drinking and eating utensils, therefore they still contain germs, but most of these we have an immunity to. Meningicoccal disease is another example of how easily germs are spread.
"The degree of transmissibility of each agent depends on many factors and obviously some are more communicable than others e.g., influenza and common cold viruses are highly communicable whereas it is unlikely, for instance, that HIV could be transmitted in this way; however, the dose of HIV organisms from a sufferer could be high if there were occult bleeding into the mouth itself as not infrequently occurs. The same remark applies to a number of other pathogens such as hepatitis B and C. Furthermore the wiping of the rim of the chalice does not sterilize and divine intervention cannot be invoked as a sterilant, despite the sanctity of the ceremony." (Annuals Australia. August 1996 Professor C K Broughton). The blood rule in AFL Football is a good example of this precaution.
The use of the common drinking cups or vessels is a most unwise practice and is not something that we usually do either in our homes nor in public.
We must remember that the Church has always taught that in receiving the host we receive the fullness of the Body & Blood of Christ.
In a recent letter from Archbishop Denis Hart, he stated, "Christ's presence is personal and real and remains as long as the Eucharistic species remain. The same Lord, who offered Himself on the Cross to save us from sin, continues His twofold action of perfect praise to the Father, and saving His people every time the Mass is offered. Together with Pope John Paul II he has invited us to share in a special Year of the Eucharist from the 10th October 2004, the beginning of the Eucharistic Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, until the conclusion of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, 'The Eucharist, source and summit of the life and mission of the Church', on the 29th October 2005."